I thought that I heard you laughing [OPEN, with one closed prompt]

[latebloomingeros]

Who: Yuuri and Viktor; Yuuri and you!
When: July 28th - 31st
Where: The former site of Bastet's temple; Sparklemotion's HQ; A cat cafe in Tokyo; Around the Far Shore
What: Yuuri and Viktor's god disappears, and Yuuri tries to deal.
Warnings: Anxiety attacks are pretty likely. General low self-esteem issues.




[I. - Closed to Viktor - July 28th, where Yuri's temple used to be]

[It's the first time he can remember since he first woke up on the Far Shore that he hasn't woken up with at least one cat pawing at him or yowling for attention nearby.]

[The sun is too bright, and when Yuuri opens his eyes, he realizes that's because he's outside. He's not hung over or anything, though, and he feels like he'd remember not making it back to the temple...]

[The temple.]

[Yuuri sits bolt upright, looking around. The grass is bare, as if nothing ever stood on top of it, but he can recognize the surrounding area otherwise...]

[His stomach twists, as he lifts up his shirt to look at the spot where his mark used to be and suddenly isn't. He knows gods disappear sometimes, but with all of the murders lately, the first place his mind goes is the worst possible one...]

[Whatever happened, Yuri's gone, and Yuuri's heart feels like lead, heavy and poisonous.]

V... Viktor?

[Please be here. Please don't be gone, too...]

Viktor! Where are you?

[II. - OPEN - evenings from July 28th-31st, Sparklemotion's studio]

[Yuuri's always been diligent about practicing, nearly to the point of obsessive.]

[Right now, there's not really any "nearly" about it.]

[Because right now, dancing is the only thing that really makes sense, the only thing he feels sure that he's any good for. He runs through every dance he's choreographed on the Far Shore again, and again, and when he can't find any more things to nitpick in those, he starts working on something new to the first piece of music he can find lying around...]

[He's got to stay busy. He's got to stay busy, or he doesn't know what he's going to do.]

[III. - OPEN - Daytime, July 29th-31st, a cat cafe in Tokyo]

[Part of staying busy is going to his part time job on the Near Shore. It will be a good distraction...]

[At least, that's what it seems like until he actually gets there.]

[Maybe a cat cafe isn't exactly the best place for him to be right now...]

[Yuuri tries to do his work, but half the time, he ends up just lying on the floor, trusting that the humans around won't see him anyway, and talking quietly to the cats that wander too close.]

I wonder if you can tell that he's gone. Do you think you'll miss him?

[IV. - OPEN - Night, July 28th-31st around the Far Shore]

[This is a bit of a situation.]

[On the one hand, Yuuri has heard about all the grisly things going on around the Far Shore lately. He knows better than to just be out in the open at night, it isn't safe nowadays...]

[But what else is he supposed to do? Sleep in the cat cafe after hours? Impose on the few friends he's got with his own stupid problems?]

[He's taken to trying to sleep in fairly well-traveled areas on the Far Shore, places where he can be more or less out of the way, but someone would probably hear him if he cried out. A park bench, a storage shed in an empty temple near an occupied one, in a corner of the library... Anywhere he can catch a few winks, honestly, as exhausted as he is.]

[It's better than bothering anyone to ask them for hospitality, at least. And it could be worse -- it's the hottest part of the year, so it's not like the elements are going to be a danger to him.]

[V. - Wild Card]

[If you've got something else to thread with Yuuri, toss me a PM or a message at cognitiveleague and we can work something out!]

Comments

iv, probably around the 31st

[declamando]

[Maria's noticed how busy Yuuri's been getting while she's been coming in and out of Sparkle Motion's studio in the last few days, and while she's been worried, she hasn't really gotten the chance to ask him about it yet. They're still waiting on their performance at Obon, and Maria wants herself and everyone else as ready to go as they possibly can be for whenever the Heavens decide to reorganise the celebrations.

She knows it's not a great idea to be going home this late, but circumstances made it hard not to, and at least she's come up close to her temple teleporting back here. When she notices a shape on the bench near the path up to the front of the cave that houses her temple, though, she has to stop and approach. It's a little cautious, given recent happenings, but once she recognises who it is, she looks rather surprised, and a bit concerned.]

Yuuri? Is that you?

[latebloomingeros]

[This evening, he didn't even make it that far after leaving the studio. He stirs at the sound of his name, blinking up at a familiar face.]

Oh... Maria? Good evening...

[It sounds a little weird, but asking her what she's doing here hardly seems appropriate, when he's the one sleeping on a park bench.]

[declamando]

[Yeah, that's definitely who she thought it was, and now Maria looks even more worried. She doubts it's anything but chance that he ended up near her temple, and she can't imagine that if he's sleeping on a bench, it's for any good reason.]

Are you alright? It's dangerous to be sleeping out in the open like this right now. [Maybe he fell asleep on the way back to his temple...?]

[latebloomingeros]

I'm alright, I was just resting my eyes a little...

[He knows perfectly well that it's dangerous, but there's nothing comforting that he can say without outright lying, and he isn't really much good at that, so all he can figure out to do is just... deflecting, trying to dodge away from the topic of the very real danger that he frankly has no idea how to defend himself from, if worst comes to worst.]

IV

[mersunary]

[Honestly, it's really hard not to be troubled by all that's going on recently, and spotting someone who doesn't exactly look well-equipped to handle an extreme self-defense situation should the need arise let their guard down so dreadfully at a sensitive time of the evening... well, far be it from her to ignore the instinct to help out, even if just a little bit.]

Hey there! [The greeting is chipper enough to pull attention, but definitely carries some obvious notes of concern.] You seem a little lost? If there's somewhere you need to be, I can help get you there!

[Because, dozing off on a park bench? Really?]

[latebloomingeros]

[At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, Yuuri can feel his heart start to race -- but if it were someone dangerous, they'd probably have just killed him while he was dozing, right?]

[He sits up, rubbing uselessly at his messy hair.]

Ah... I'm not really looking for anywhere in particular, though...

[mersunary]

[The sword sheathed and strapped to her side might be a little bit concerning, but surely someone who's looking to cause a scene isn't going to wake up any potential victims so bluntly beforehand.]

That doesn't seem like a very comfortable napping spot, though. [Someplace else would be better, for sure. A bed, a sofa, someone's lap... and, you know, preferably not outdoors.]

Don't you have a home you'd rather be at? [But, oh! What if he's too tired to finish the trip there? That must be why he's taken up here instead, isn't it? Clearly that's the answer here, and as if pleased with herself for figuring out the solution, her expression brightens into a cheery smile.] And, hey, if you're too exhausted, I can help with that, too!

[latebloomingeros]

Ah... well, I am a little tired...

[It's not a lie. He's been exhausting himself more or less on purpose, since Yuri disappeared. More importantly, he's still hoping to avoid having to admit that he doesn't, in fact, have a home to go to and troubling a total stranger too much with his own needs.]

I, obviously

[leapingchuu]

He'd woken long before, when the moon had still been visible. Noticing the change in his surroundings hadn't taken much effort, although he'd also wondered for a moment if alcohol wasn't somehow involved. But no, this was where the temple had stood. His bed, which had in reality been a great number of cat beds pushed together and covered with a sheet, was gone. As was everything else, although the small keepsake box holding the ring he'd arrived with had been resting on his chest when he woke.

He'd left Yuuri sleeping, not wanting to disturb him and worry him before he figured things out, while he walked around the area the temple had stood when he'd gone to sleep. He'd found nothing, of course, and had eventually sat with his back against a tree not far from where Yuuri slept, trying to come up with a plan.

He'd been worried about the murders too, but somehow he could tell that Yuri hadn't been killed. No, this was a simple lack of connection with his god, as though he'd vanished. While not too knowledgeable on the subject, he was fairly certain that that had been exactly what had happened.

There was no sense worrying about it before dawn, though. If Yuuri was willing, they could go ask around about their god and what they should do now. For the moment, though, Viktor wasn't at all comfortable leaving his fellow shinki behind, and it wouldn't do much of any good to go scouring the entirety of the Far Shore at this hour anyway.

He woke to Yuuri's cries several hours later, and after a few disoriented seconds he jumped to his feet, waving with both arms.

"Yuuuuuri! Over here! It's all right."

At a bit of a loss, he tried his best to reassure him, walking as quickly as he could over to him. Yuuri's anxiety and tendency to worry were things he wanted to avoid as much as he possibly could, at this point.

[latebloomingeros]

[There's not really any avoiding them, at the moment.]

[The chorus in Yuuri's head is already starting -- we were supposed to help him, we were supposed to protect him, why couldn't I even do that right? -- and for a moment, all he can think is that it's a good thing there's no one around for it to sting, this time. (He caused Yuri so much trouble, worrying all the time...)]

[He hurries over to Viktor's side, feeling almost nauseous as the relief of seeing him whole just serves to drive home how terrifying the thought of him being lost or hurt really was, nearly tripping over his own feet.]

You're awake... have you looked for him yet? He's...

[He's got to be somewhere, he wants to say, but cuts himself off because he knows it's not actually true.]

[leapingchuu]

Oh, Viktor was well aware of that, and his arms had already wrapped around Yuuri before he could begin to answer. Because he knew how much the worry and panic ate at him, how debilitating they could be, and while Yuuri was trying not to show it, the little tells he'd been picking up on since meeting him on that beach when he'd first arrived were there.

"I did. I woke up hours ago, when it was still dark. I went as far as the edge of the grounds the temple used to sit on, and there's no sign of him. If you think it will help, we can go ask around now that it's morning. Breakfast would be a good idea, too."

He made his voice as calm and soothing as he could, not only for Yuuri but because he needed the reassurance himself. While he wasn't eaten alive by anxiety, not having Yuri here, lacking the connection with him, was disorienting at best.

"We'll figure something out. We're both very resourceful, you know."

[latebloomingeros]

"I'm not really all that hungry."

He rarely feels much hunger at all, of course, being dead... But he can't really imagine feeling hungry over the dull, sick gnaw of anxiety at his stomach.

"We should go look for him. We need to find out what happened..."

If he tricks himself into thinking there's something productive he can do, that's a small step further away from the panic attack that he can feel looming.

IV, 30th?

[letteropener]

[The sudden clatter of hooves on the library floor is likely what wakes him, as Celestia comes around the corner and starts back from surprise at finding a person back here.]

Oh -- excuse me, but are you all right?

[latebloomingeros]

[Somehow, the embarrassment of being caught napping with his face in a book completely overrides the surprise of being woken up by a magical talking pony.]

Ah!

Y-Yes, I'm fine, I just. I must have dozed off a little?

[letteropener]

This isn't the best or most comfortable place to sleep. [She can certainly understand falling asleep while reading, having done it many times, but... though she keeps her tone casual, she keeps an eye on him after a quick glance at what he had open to read. She has to find out: Is he just a bookworm, or is there more to this?]

[latebloomingeros]

No, I guess it isn't...

[He laughs, sheepish, doing his best to brush it off. There's no reason to trouble her, and anyway, he doesn't need pity from a stranger, does he? He can manage. He can figure out a way to manage...]

IV - 29th

[sweetdeath]

[The storage shed at the bottom of Sakura's garden is a lot cleaner now than it used to be. Most of the furniture's been dragged out for repairs or thrown away, there are two big boxes of books and papers in Tsuzuki's room to be gone through, and the old clothes are all laundered and mended. There are still quite a few boxes that he hasn't had time to go through yet out there, though, a broken-down couple of benches towards the back, and the dust has been more stirred than actually cleaned.

The only thing about the place that doesn't look abandoned is the set of gardening tools, and Tsuzuki'd taken those out to use. He's just returning with the rake and clippers when he notices that the door is slightly ajar.

Did he leave it that way? Honestly, he's not sure. He raises his voice, more curious than nervous.]

Hello? Sakura, are you in there?

[latebloomingeros]

[Ah, did he leave the door open? And here he was hoping to actually get some good rest for once, with a roof over his head and everything...]

[Too sleepy to actually notice why the voice he hears is familiar, Yuuri just curls up further in the corner of the shed and hopes they'll go away. Of course, the tarp he's using as a blanket has to go and be unhelpful and rustle a bit when he moves...]

[sweetdeath]

[There's a rustle from the darkness deeper inside the shed. Cautiously, rake upraised in one hand just in case it does turn out to be the mysterious murderer, Tsuzuki steps inside and approaches.]

Hello? Is someone there?

[Maybe it's a stray animal? Or... something.

Now he really is starting to get a bit nervous.]

[latebloomingeros]

[No, he knows he's heard that voice before. It sounds like...]

...Tsuzuki?

[Yuuri peeks out from under the tarp, rather nervously, ready to try and dodge if the other shinki attacks.]

3 | 29th

[timeshields]

[Homura's here mostly because Souji likes these sorts of cafes. She only wonders a little bit. Don't they have enough cats at home?

Whatever, it doesn't matter.]

... Are you talking to a cat?

[latebloomingeros]

...Ah. You can see me?

[And hear him. That's... pretty embarrassing, and would probably be more embarrassing if he weren't quite so depressed right now.]

[timeshields]

You're not invisible.

[But if that's his reaction...]

You're part of the Far Shore, aren't you?

II - July 28

[very_goodman]

...Workin' hard again today, huh?

[Normally that's something Barry would praise, but he knows there's a fine line between perfectionism and complete burnout. From the looks of things, Yuuri's rapidly approaching the tipping point.]

C'mon, why don't we take a break and grab a bite to eat?

III - July 29th.

[rememberher]

[ She was supposed to be working, passing out flyers for the Japanese confectionery shop just down the street, but sometimes it's nice to take a break and pet a lot of cats, even if she is more of a dog person at heart. Don't judge her.

Also the midday heat was getting to be far too much, and having a milk tea with some feline companions sounded really nice. She didn't quite expect to see a familiar face laying in the middle of a clowder of cats, cooing to them like they could understand him. ]

...Yuuri?

[ Crouching down beside him, she gives the fellow shinki a sheepish smile. ]

You're going to have carpet marks on your face at this rate. What are you doing?